Woodstock 50th Anniversary Festival to Be Held on Original Site

The non-profit cultural center built on the site of the Woodstock festival announced a 2019 event to mark the 50th anniversary of the iconic happening.

Bethel Woods Music and Culture Festival is to be held during Aug. 16-18, in association with Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Live Nation and the INVNT agency. Organizers described it in a statement as a “pan-generational music, culture, and community event” which will include “live performances from prominent and emerging artists spanning multiple genres and decades, and TED-style talks from leading futurists and retro-tech experts.”

The announcement continued: “Festival goers will also be able to visit the Museum at Bethel Woods, which tells the story of the 1960s through immersive media, interactive engagements, and artifacts from the 1969 festival, as well as experience the special 2019 exhibit ‘We Are Golden: Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of the Woodstock Festival and Aspirations for an Aquarian Future.’”

Darlene Fedun, CEO of the art center, said: “Fifty years ago, people gathered peacefully on our site inspired to change the world through music. As the stewards of this historic site, we remain committed to preserving this rich history and spirit, and to educating and inspiring new generations to contribute positively to the world through music, culture, and community.”

The organizers noted that the event is not affiliated with Woodstock Ventures LC, the body behind the 1969 festival and its successors, and so are not “official” Woodstock events. The announcement follows news that memorial dove sculptures, decorated by local artists, would be placed around Sullivan County, N.Y., to mark the anniversary.

UPDATE 12/29: UCR received an e-mail with a statement from Michael Lang, the producer and co-creator of the original Woodstock festival. Lang writes, "While the original site in Bethel remains close to our hearts, it no longer has the capacity to hold a real Woodstock Festival. I'm delighted that Bethel Woods is doing events in the coming year to celebrate what we brought to life in 1969 and I encourage people to visit the museum and concert venue."

The e-mail added, "Lang will shortly be announcing his plans for the real Woodstock 50th Festival to bring back the much needed spirit and energy of the 1969 original."